DISGRACE ✴ kim rian

20 ── ᵒᵘᵗ ⁱⁿ ᵒᵖᵉⁿ

ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ
ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ
ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ

The room was a theater of false pretenses, with every smile and handshake meticulously choreographed. Mi-hee had learned long ago that events like these were never about genuine relationships but about leverage—who held the upper hand in the relentless competition for power. She hated it. Yet, here she was, standing in the thick of it.

Her pink dress was tailored to perfection, her waves cascading over her shoulders like they belonged on the cover of a magazine. But it was her smudged eyeliner that betrayed her silent rebellion against the world she was forced to inhabit. It was her reminder to herself: I’m not like them.

When her father pulled her back into the crowd, she tried to blend in, her gaze flickering between faces. She caught sight of Jae-i, looking painfully out of place, trying to engage in polite conversation with Mrs. Kim. Mi-hee noticed how rigid her smile was, how her hands subtly fidgeted as if seeking escape.

Her thoughts wandered again, this time to Hera. Mi-hee could feel the weight of Hera’s presence even before she saw her. She had been eyeing Rian earlier, and now she was lingering near Jae-i’s circle, her expression unreadable. What are you plotting now? Mi-hee wondered.

And then Rian entered the room. His presence was magnetic, as it always was. He didn’t have to say a word to command attention. His gaze landed on Mi-hee for a fleeting moment, and she held her breath. Something passed between them—subtle, yet unnervingly sincere. She looked away quickly, cursing herself for the heat rising to her cheeks. Stop it, Mi-hee. You’re better than this.

The moment was shattered when Hera stepped forward with the energy of someone who was about to set the stage on fire. Kang Ha was suddenly by her side, and Mi-hee’s stomach sank. Whatever this was, it wasn’t going to end well.

Hera’s voice rang out, sickeningly sweet, as she introduced Kang Ha as Jae-i’s boyfriend. The words hung in the air, freezing the room in stunned silence. Jae-i’s face was a study in controlled shock, her practiced composure barely holding together. Mi-hee’s heart twisted at the sight.

But Hera wasn’t done. She turned her sharp smile toward Mi-hee and Kim Rian. “And of course, we can’t forget the lovebirds of the evening—Mi-hee and Rian! Aren’t they just perfect together?”

The statement landed like a bomb. Mi-hee felt her father stiffen beside her, and she instinctively glanced up to find his expression. He wasn’t angry—oh no, he was smug. His smirk in Mrs. Kim’s direction was all she needed to know. This wasn’t just Hera stirring drama; this was a calculated power play. Her father saw this as a victory over the Jaeyul Group.

Mi-hee’s chest tightened. The room was too loud, yet all she could hear was the quiet devastation on Jae-i’s face. She had been caught in the crossfire of Hera’s cruelty and Mi-hee’s own fake relationship with Rian.

This isn’t fair, Mi-hee thought, guilt gripping her. She had allowed herself to be roped into Rian’s schemes, and now someone else—someone who didn’t deserve this—was paying the price.

She wished, more than anything, that she could take it back. To undo the domino effect she had unwittingly helped set into motion. But there was no going back now. The only way out was forward, and Mi-hee wasn’t sure she had the strength to face what was coming.

ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ
ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ
ʰⁱᵉʳᵃʳᶜʰʸ